In 10 weeks, Moscow Chief of Police James Fry completed 17 graduate-level university courses in Quantico, Virginia. At the end of the course, which began in January, he completed a grueling “6.1-mile run through a hilly, wooded trail built by the Marines,” called the Yellow Brick Road, according to the FBI’s National Academy website.
Now, Fry is back in town with lots to share with his colleagues.
“(The Moscow Police Department) and this community always tries to improve ourselves, from the officer level all the way through our command level,” Fry said. “(The FBI National Academy) is one of those schools that make you a better leader, make you a better overall person.”
Fry returned last Wednesday, March 20 from this challenging experience.
In order to be considered, applicants to the academy must “be in excellent physical condition,” “possess an excellent character” and “enjoy a reputation for professional integrity” in addition to meeting a variety of specific requirements, according to the FBI’s National Academy website.
James Fry | Courtesy
“It is a sought-out training for upper level executives (in law enforcement),” Fry said. “About 1% of law enforcement makes it to this course, so it has a lot of aspects to it that are a resume builder but also just a good course for your upper development of leadership.”
Fry has been waiting for a chance to attend the academy for the past six years. In addition to field trips and classroom-style learning, the academy physically challenges its applicants. The participants’ efforts culminate in tackling the infamous Yellow Brick Road.
“We went to the Holocaust Museum, we went to the National Law Enforcement Memorial,” Fry said. “On my own time, I got to do some sightseeing, like Gettysburg, so a lot of history, a lot of things that have impacted our country. It just makes you a better, well-rounded person.”
Fry took the graduate-level courses he completed over the course of the academy through the University of Virginia. He studied the psychology of leadership, cultural change, behavioral science analysis, contemporary issues in law enforcement and the impact of law enforcement on spirituality and mental health.
This experience has provided Fry with over 200 new contacts from law enforcement agencies around the world. He said this improves his professional network — if Fry has a case he is struggling with, he can reach out for help outside of the Moscow Police Department if necessary.
“You really get a feel for law enforcement — what it’s like in other areas of the country as well as other states,” Fry said. “We had a lot of discussion points where in class you’ll be discussing a lot of different topics and just how other people handle things.”
Fry appreciated all the experiences and opportunities the National Academy afforded him with.
“It’s probably one of the highlights of my career,” Fry said. “It really was everything I had hoped it to be. It was very academic. It was also very challenging physically because of the courses and (Yellow Brick Road).”
Lex Miller can be reached at [email protected]